Most Wired Cars of the New York Auto Show

Mercedes Benz SL-65 AMG Limited Edition

To celebrate the 45th anniversary of Mercedes Benz's performance line, AMG is producing a limited edition of the new SL65. The new car isn't shy: 621horsepower and a staggering 738 lb-ft of torque from the six liter, twin turbo V-12. If the engine is a bright spot, the exterior is a bit subdued as the matte finish exterior paint and carbon fiber parts literally don't shine.

To keep the PR on the PC side of things, Mercedes points out the new SL65 is 17 percent more fuel efficient than the last model. The all aluminum frame helps save weight and the engine is the first V-12 with start/stop technology shutting down the power at stop lights to conserve fuel. The German engineers worked hard to boost performance and efficiency by reducing "parasitic loss of power" as well. Driving down a straight freeway the power required for steering is minimized and oil pressure varies depending on the needs of the engine to reduce drag from excess oil.

BMW X1

BMW has sold over 200,000 of their X1 mini-crossovers around the world, but not a single one in the US. That's about to change, as the automaker announced they're bringing the X1 stateside. Pricing for the mini-ute starts at just below $32k for the turbo four-equipped rear-wheel drive model. That's just slightly above a comparably equipped RAV4 or CR-V, which makes the X1 one of the most accessible high-end crossovers on the market.

Subaru XV Crosstrack

With the success of vehicles such as the Forrester, Subaru wants to attract a younger buyer to its lineup of all-wheel drive crossover-type cars. Built on the increasingly popular Impreza model, the new XV Crosstrack offers close to the same 36 mpg fuel efficiency of the standard car but with a bit more room and design flare. Like other crossover vehicles, the XV is prepared to venture off the pavement with 8.6 inches of ground clearance.

Porsche Cayenne Diesel

More than half of the Porsche Cayennes sold in Europe are the diesel-burning version of the German SUV. But stringent emissions regulations prevented the company from offering the oil burner here in the United States. Porsche managed to meet the regulations with some impressive engineering, including up to six separate fuel injections per combustion cycle according to Cayenne powertrain manager Stefan Fegg.

"In cold conditions you have two or three small injections to get an early start on combustion, to heat up the combustion chamber" Fegg says. "Then one big one for the power cycle, and if needed up to three post combustion injections to heat up and burn out the diesel particulates, the soot."

The post combustion injections also help control noise and vibration in the three liter V-6. More filters down the exhaust system help further clean things up before exiting the tail pipe. The result is an engine that delivers 240 horsepower, 408 lb-ft of torque and 28 mpg on the highway.

Lexus ES300 Hybrid

Lexus added a hybrid to their 2013 ES lineup. Depending on your perspective, that's either praise-worthy or snooze-worthy. While the new gas-only ES350 has 268 horsepower and sprints to 60 mph in seven seconds, the ES300h adds batteries, but loses 68 horsepower and 1.1 seconds from 0-60. The tradeoff is that the ES300h manages 39 mpg city and 40 mpg highway — right up there with the Camry Hybrid it's based on. Inside, there's a comfortable interior that's quite similar to the new Lexus GS, but with a much larger backseat.

Acura RLX

Acura's current flagship — the RL — was a technical tour de force when it debuted back in 2005. That was seven years ago — an eternity when it comes to luxury refresh cycles. The new RLX promises technological innovations in a package that's as compelling as the other cars in Acura's lineup.

The top Acura gets a refreshed exterior that Acura says has a "timeless beauty." In other words, it's not so polarizing that it has to be redesigned after only a single year on the market, like the 2010 TL. That signature razor blade grill is still there, but softened. From the side, the car definitely has Honda DNA, looking like an enlarged, chrome-adorned Accord.

Inside, according to Honda North America CEO Tetsuo Iwamura, passengers should find the RLX to be a "gracious host." Wood and leather abound, and the AcuraLink infotainment system gains web content thanks to Harman International's AHA service.

Infiniti is venturing into Tesla territory with its new LE Concept. The company borrowed from its parent company's Nissan Leaf to produce a four door, mid-size sedan that is the first electric vehicle of its size from one of the major auto makers.

One of the cool new things Infiniti says should make it to the production version is an inductive coil system that will recharge the car wirelessly. Like the Leaf, a production version of the LE is expected to have a range of around 100 miles.

Shelby 1000

It's not often these days that a carmaker has to mention that a new car is a "50-state, street legal." But when you're Shelby American — and your newest model produces 950 horsepower — it's necessary to remind people you can actually take this car out for a Sunday drive.

Carroll Shelby launched Shelby American at the New York Auto Show in 1962, and 50 years later that first Shelby Cobra was parked beside the Shelby 1000. The new car is built on the Ford Mustang, and Shelby American says the 5.4 liter motor was rebuilt from the block up to handle the supercharged power. Oh, and if 950 isn't enough, there is a track only, "S/C" version of the new car rated at more than 1,100 horsepower. As they say on TV, professional driver, closed course: Mr. Shelby does like his horses.

Mazda Takeri

The Takeri isn't a new car debut. It bowed last year in Tokyo, and instead of sitting under a sheet or hiding behind a wall, it was on full display for hours before Mazda's press conference. Still, New York marked the first time it was on US soil and that it was confirmed as a likely Mazda 6 successor to debut this fall. With sensual curves and a fuel-sipping set of technical advances that sit under the Skyactiv umbrella, it'll offer Mazda a fighting chance in the midsize family sedan market. We're hoping for the Skyactiv-D engine to also end up stateside, but that seems unlikely.

Volkswagen Alltrack

Volkswagen is calling its Alltrack a "design study" even though the car is already available on the European market. Based on the European Passat, which is slightly smaller than the North American version, the Alltrack is squarely aimed at the Audi Allroad and Subaru Outback type vehicles. The VW Alltrack features a 2.0 liter turbo diesel engine and the company's 4Motion all wheel drive.

To help the driver when venturing off the pavement, the Alltrack sits 1.2 inches higher than the standard wagon and includes a skid plate that protects the underside. With wagons hugely popular in Europe, Volkswagen says it is using the Alltrack to gauge interest in the SUV happy market of North America. Fuel efficiency should be in the 40+ mpg range and hopefully this — combined with the all wheel drive — means the wagon will be popular enough to justify offering it on this side of the Atlantic.